Phased Retirement Program for Academic Employees Policy

Policy Statement

This policy has been established to provide eligible academic employees the opportunity to phase into retirement gradually.

Purpose/Scope

The Phased Retirement Program for Academic Employees will provide eligible academic rank and qualified academic rank employees an opportunity for a phased approach to retirement prior to full retirement. This program allows eligible academic employees to move into retirement gradually, through a reduction in workload with a commensurate reduction in pay. It also enables departments to plan for the replacement of long-term academic employees in advance of their actual full retirement.

Applicability

This policy applies to full-time academic employees who have at least ten years of full-time consecutive experience at Brockport who are age 55 or older at the time they begin program participation.

A. Workload and Work Assignment

Upon request of the academic employee and approval of the provost and vice president for academic affairs, the Phased Retirement Program will normally allow participants to work a 50%¹ schedule. The workload and work assignment will be established in consultation with the department chair and dean and is subject to final approval by the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

The workload for academic employees will be expressed in terms of teaching load, service, scholarship or other assignments as agreed to by the academic employee, department chair, dean and provost and vice president for academic affairs.

The Phased Retirement Program will be for one year, but upon approval of the provost and vice president for academic affairs, may be extended for one additional year.

B. Appointment Status

Participants in the program will remain at the academic or qualified academic rank achieved at the time they begin program participation. They will be given a part-time appointment with a 50% obligation for the duration of the Phased Retirement Program for Academic Employees.

C. Representation

Participants in the program will continue to be represented by the UUP and will remain covered by the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the UUP and the State of New York for the duration of the Phased Retirement Program.

D. Salary and Benefits

The salary for the Phased Retirement Program is calculated at 50% of the full-time salary of the employee’s position immediately preceding participation in the Phased Retirement Program. Salary will be paid out over a full year in equal bi-weekly payments over 26 pay periods.

Program participants remain enrolled as active employees in all benefits programs as they were as full-time employees. There will be no change in health, dental, vision coverage or premiums as the result of this program.

Participants will continue to accrue sick leave per the UUP agreement.

¹If another percentage (less than 50 percent) is exceptionally agreed, then the percentage below will be adjusted accordingly for A,B,D above.

Definitions

UUP - United University Professions - A union for SUNY employees.

Policy Procedures

A. Academic employees wishing to participate in the Phased Retirement Program must complete an application containing a proposed assignment and work schedule and submit it for approval to their chair. The assignment and work schedule is subject to final approval by the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

B. Applications for the program beginning in the fall semester must be submitted by May 15 and applications for the spring semester must be submitted by October 1.

C. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by the provost and vice president for academic affairs and will receive a letter describing the length of the agreement and the duties and responsibilities as outlined in the assignment and work schedule.

D. The academic employee must sign the letter of acceptance and return it with an irrevocable letter of resignation for the purpose of retirement with an effective date coinciding with the end of the approved Phased Retirement Program.

Links to Related Procedures and Information

Phased Retirement Program for Academic Employees Application-visit our Forms page (Benefit/Retirement).

Contact Information

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Manager of Benefits and Payroll

History (in descending order)

Approval

There are no approvals for this policy at this time.